Large round hay bales, each of which may weigh thousands of pounds, are sometimes transported individually on a special purpose trailer having a cradle with fork elements adapted to extend under a bale and a back support. The cradle may be pivoted on a two wheel trailer frame for transport by a pick-up truck or small tractor. Problems have been encountered with inadequate structural rigidity, complexity of construction and bolt pivots subject to wear and failure under the shock loading of heavy loads transported over rough terrain. Inadequate ground clearance of the fabricated constructions currently in use have also been a problem.
Prior art apparatus for handling a large hay bale as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,693 employs a relatively complex mechanism to elevate a hay buck or fork unit inserted under the bale at ground level to a transport position providing adequate clearance. On the other hand a trailer of relatively simpler construction adapted to engage and lift a large substantially rectangularly shaped commercial refuse container such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,579 employs a lower edge supported on short foot ground engaging portions which, upon inclination about the trailer wheel pivotal axis, provides only slight elevation above ground level--inadequate ground clearance for hay bale transport, especially over rough terrain of fields in which large ground hay bales are encountered.